16 ON florists' flowers in classes. 



solitude enable us to abandon this transitory scene without a sigh, to 



rely with hope on the bosom of Omnipotence, and fearlessly launch 



our immortal bark on the boundless ocean of Eternity. 



'■ Sweet Solitude ! when life's gay hours are past, 

 Howe'er we range, in thee we fix at last ; 

 Tost through tempestuous seas, the voyage o'er. 

 Pale we look back and bless thy friendly shore. 

 Our own strict judges, our past life we scan, 

 And ask if glory hath enlarged the span ; 

 If blight the prospect, we the grave defy, 

 Trust future ages and contented die." 



Fellon Bridge End, August, 1841. 



ARTICLE VII. 



ON FLORISTS' FLOWERS IN CLASSES. 



BY A JUNIOR FLORIST. 



The article on exhibiting florists' flowers, which appears at p. 260 

 of the November Number of the last volume of the Cabinet, by 

 Florista, requires notice. Some of the remarks therein are certainly 

 good; but I cannot agree with the writer in the opinion that the 

 exhibition of flowers in classes is either mischievous or impolitic, and 

 for the following reasons : — Were two, three, or more of any one sort 

 or variety permitted to appear in any single stand, according to the 

 amendment or departure from the established rule — for such it would 

 be — would, in my opinion, cause great dissension among exhibitors, 

 because, in certain soils and situations, some varieties grow much better 

 than others, their flowers are in every way superior, although the treat- 

 ment they undergo is precisely similar ; consequently it would happen 

 that where a grower excels in a few sorts,he would devote his chief atten- 

 tion to them, and become comparatively indifferent to newer varieties. 

 This observation, it will be seen, applies chiefly to the Dahlia, a 

 stand of which must never, by the existing rule, contain two flowers 

 of a sort. Again, if Florista's suggestion were adopted, there would 

 be little encouragement to attempt the production of new varieties, 

 and thus the stimulus to improvement in form, variety of colour, and 

 shading would receive a severe check. It is, in fact, essential, in ex- 

 hibiting a stand of Dahlias, that the blooms should be of the same form 

 and shape of petal ; for I have observed at several shows that " stands," 

 containing many good and even first-rate flowers, have been ranked 

 low by the judges, solely because one or two of a totally different 



